Ukrainian-made Oplot tanks to be ordered for the Armed Forces, says Reznikov
Oleksiy Reznikov (Photo:Міністерство оборони України)
The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine will order Ukrainian-made Oplot tanks for the Ukrainian military, Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov announced on May 12.
During a working visit to Kharkiv Oblast, he tested one of the tanks and stated that the “Ukrainian tank should be in the forefront of the tank coalition.”
“I love the cuisine and music of different nations around the world, but when it comes to industry, I am a proponent of Ukrainian protectionism,” he stated.
“That is why a decision has been made for the Ministry of Defense to order Oplot tanks from Ukroboronprom for the Ukrainian army].”
Reznikov emphasized the need for an “armored fist” on the front lines to protect Ukrainian soldiers and awarded several employees of the Ukroboronprom defense industry with honors for their contribution to Ukraine's defense capability. He did not specify the number of tanks to be ordered or the timeline for production.
The Oplot is a Ukrainian main battle tank that was developed from its predecessor, the T-84, and entered service with the Ukrainian army in 2009. It features a combined protection system and anti-radar coverage, thermal imaging sights, an optoelectronic countermeasure complex, and a navigation system.
The tank is equipped with a 125-mm smoothbore gun, a 7.62-mm coaxial machine gun, and a 12.7-mm anti-aircraft machine gun. It also has Ukrainian-made laser-guided missiles named “Kombat,” which can hit targets such as tanks, helicopters, and heavily fortified ground, surface, or low-flying targets at a range of up to 5 kilometers. The cost of one unit is approximately $4 million.
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